Beer cooling and dispensing device



, Y Patented May 31, 193s UNITED STATE s PATENT OFFICEv 6 Claims.

My invention relates to beer cooling and dispensing devices and has for an object tov provide a device which may be directly attached to and supported on a beer barrel and by means of which cold beer, may be directly dispensed from the barrel.

An object of the invention resides in providing a cooling system -for the device whereby cold beer may be drawn from the barrel without'the use of the usual cooling coil.

AnotherV object of the invention resides in providing a device in which cooling of the beer takes place from the time it leaves the barrer to the time it is dispensed from the faucet.

Another object of the invention resides in providing cooling means for cooling the exposed portion of the tap tube.

Another object of,l the invention resides in providing a device employing a ow regulating device and lin providing cooling means for cooling the ow regulating device. A still further object of theinvention resides in arranging-,the ow regulating device at the uppermost end of the tap tube and in alignment therewith and in encircling portions of the tap tube and flow regulating device with a jacket forming a cooling chamber about the same.

Another object of the invention resides in providing a collar encircling the tap tube and se- 'cured to the lowermost end of said jacket and closing the lowermost end of said cooling chamber. 1-

A still further object of the invention resides in providing means for directing a cooling medium into and out of said cooling chamber `and in supporting said means on said collar. A feature of the invention resides in attaching a bracket to the collar for the purpose of ing the dispensing of the beer.

Other objects of the invention reside in the novel combination and arrangements! parts and in the details of construction all hereinafter illustrated and/or described. V

In the drawing: l

Fig. 1 is an elevational part sectional view of a beer barrel illustrating an embodiment of my invention applied theretoi A Fig. 2 is an elevational longitudinal sectional view of a portion of the structure shown in Fig. 1, and drawn to a somewhat larger scale.

Fig. 3 is a plan sectional view taken on line 3,-3 of Fig. 2 and drawn to a smaller scale.

' The dispensing of beer directly from. the barviding aconstruction in which the tap tube viding a device` utilizing a tap tube and in proof such dimensions as to be freely received in the supporting a tray on which glasses are held durreis and without running the beer through cooling coils and other systems involving considerable lengths of pipes or conduits, has found considerable vfavor with consumers. In attempting to Vdispense beer directly from the barrel considerable diiculty has been encountered in maintaining the beer cold particularly when 'the draW- Y ing of beer from a, barrel is periodical. The present invention overcomes this difiiculty by proitself and parts of the dispensing mechanism are 10 directly cooled so as to prevent heating of the beer after it leaves the barrel.

For the purpose of illustrating the application of the invention, an ordinary beer barrel has been shown which is indicated in its entirety by thev reference numeral A. The construction of such beer barrels forming no particular feature of the invention has not been illustrated-in detail in the drawing. The beer barrel shown comprises a body I2 constructed with staves I3 held together in the usual manner with metal hoops I4. The upper end of the barrel is provided with a head I5 and the lower end of the barrel with a bottom I6 which are held in place by the staves I3 in the customary manner. Access to the barrel is had through a bung I'I which is constructed with the usual bung hole I8. This bung has threads I9 which screw into the head I5 and hold the bung securely attached to the same. In 30 the bung I1 is formed a socket 2l which receives Y a suitable xture 25 for attaching a tap tubeto the barrel. l

The invention utilizes a tap tube 22 which is bung hole lm of bung l1 and to be extended to *35 the bottom I6 of barrel A. This-tube is of such a p lengthVV that the same projects considerably above the'head I5 of the barrel for a purpose to be presently described in detail. The tap tube 22 is provided at its lower end with a. plug' 23 which is screwed rinto said tube and which is drilled transversely as designated at 24 to permit of the. entry of'beer into said tube in close proximity to the bottom of the barrel;

The xture 25 for attaching the tap tube 22 to the barrel A, comprises an inner tubular member 26and an outer` tubular member 21. The inner tubular member 26 is constructed at its lower end with an inwardly extending flange 28. A gasket 29 is disposed between-this ang'e and a collar I3l formed on the bung I1 and 'forms a iluid tight connection therebetween.' 'The' upper end oi.'

walls of said member and the tap tube 22 by means of a nut 33 to forma fluid tight connection between the same. The tubular member 21 is provided with inwardly extending lugs 34 which engage complemental lugs 35 onthe collar 3|. By rotating the tubular member 25 these lugs are brought into engagement and the member 21 held attached to the bung I1. A nut 36 screwed upon the exterior of the tubular member 21 and engaging a shoulder 31 on the tubular member 26 draws said member 26 downwardly, /causing the flange 28 to seat upon the gasket 29 and correspondingly draws -the tubular member 21 upwardly causing a firm engagement of the lugs 34 and 35. A nipple 38 passes freely through an opening 39 in the member 21 and is threaded into the member 26. This nipple may be connected to a source of air under pressure or to an air pump whereby air under pressure may be directed into the uppermost portion of the barrel to cause the discharge of beer from the same.

At the upper end of the tap tube 22 is mounted a flow regulating device 4| This device is sim- -ilar to that shown in my copending application for patent, Serial Number 70,364 led March 23, 1936 and includes a cylindrical barrel 42 which is soldered at its lower end to the upper end 43 of the tap tube 22. Adjacent the lower end of the barrel 42 the same is constructed with a cylindrical bore 44. Intermediate the ends of the barrel the same is constructed with a tapered or conical bore 45 which communicates with the bore 44. At the upper end of said barrel the samev is constructed with a cylindrical bore 46 which communicates with the bore 45. All of these bores merge into one another so that a single continuous passageway 46 without irregularities is formed in the barrel which communicates with the passageway of the tube 22. Mounted within the passageway 46 of barrel 42 is a conical core 41 which has the same taper as the bore 45 and which is slightly smaller in diameter than said bore to form a restricted passageway within said bore, said passageway being part ofthe passageway 46 previously referred to. The conical member 46 is constructed with two cylindrical guides 48 andI 49 which are adapted to slide along the cylindrical bores 44 and 46 respectively and which guide the core 41 for axial movement along the bore 45. 'I'he core 41 is reduced in diameter adjacent the guides 48 and 49 as indicated at 5| and 52 and is provided at such localities with transverse openings 53 and 54 which communicate with theconstricted portion of the passageway 46. These transverse openings communicate vwith longitudinal passageways 55 and 56 which extend through the ends of the member 41. Passageway 55 is in communication with the passageway 46-l at the lower end of the same ,and receives the beer discharged into said passageway from the tube 26. Passageway 56 in a similar manner directs the beer out of the flow regulating device as will be subsequently more fully described.

The core 41 is moved longitudinally within the passageway 46 to vary the cross section of the restricted portion of said passageway for the purpose of regulating the flow of the beer through the device. This is accomplished as follows: An elbow 51 is provided for this purpose which is constructed with `a threaded neck 58 adapted to be connected to the barrel`42 by means'of a threaded cap 59 engaging a collar 6| secured to said barrel` The elbow 51 is constructed with a cylindrical boreV concentric with the bore 46.

of the core 41 is movable along the bore 62. A

pinion 65 having a handle 66 attached thereto is rotatable within a bearing 61 formed on the elbow 51. 'I'his pinion meshes with the rack teeth 64 and serves to raise and lower the core 61 when the handle 66 is rotated. By this means the quantity of beer iiowing through the device may be manually regulated to meet the particular requirements.

Attached to the elbow 51 is a faucet 68. This faucet may be of any suitable construction, but is preferably of the type shown in my copending application for patent, Serial Number 70,364 filed March 23, 1936. 'I'his faucet is constructed with a body 69 attached to the elbow 51 and with a spout 1| discharging outwardly therefrom. An operating knob 12 opens and shuts the faucet. The faucet 68 is preferably of the on and off type and the control of the iiow is procured by the flow regulating device 4|.

Encircling the lowermost portion of the barrel 42 and the uppermost portion of the tap tube 22, is a jacket 13. 'I'his jacket consists of a tube or pipe which is greater in diameter than the barrel 42 or the tubel 22. The jacket 13 is supported at its upper end by means of a collar 18 which is recessed as indicated at 15 to receive the upper end of the same. This collar iits snugly upon the exterior of the barrel l2 and is set into a recess 16 in the same. The lower end of the jacket 13 is attached to another collar 11 which encircles the tube 22. This collar Yis constructed with a recess 18 similar to the recess 15 in which the lowermost end of the jacket 13 is received. The various joints between the jacket 13 and the collars 14 and 11 in between said collars and the barrel 42 and tube 22 are soldered together' to provide a water tight construction. By means of this construction a cooling chamber 19 is provided which encircles portions of the iow regulating device 4| and the tap tube 22. Within the cooling chamber-19 is disposed a small tube 8| which is received within a socket 82"'in' the collar 11. The upper end of this tube is open and disposed shortly below the collar 14 so that the cooling medium discharged from the upper end of said tube enters the chamber 19 at its upper end. A nipple 83 is screwed into a boss 84 formed on thev collar 11 and communicates through a passageway 85 with the lower end of the tube 8|. Another nipple 86 is screwed into a second boss 81 formed on the collar 11 and directly communicates through a passageway 88 with the lowermost portion of the chamber 19. A cooling medium is circulated through the chamber 19 by means of the nipples 83 and 86. 'Ihe nipple 83 is connected to the source of the cooling medium which may be any cooling liquid oi a refrigerating system or which may merely be cold water. The nipple 86 is connected to the return of such cooling system or in the-case of cold water to a suitable drain. It will thus be seen that the cooling medium is discharged into the upper end of chamber 19 and travels downwardly along said chamber and along the barrel 42 of the `flow regulating device 4| and the tap tube 22. As the cooling medium so travels the exposed portions of the tap tube and the flow regulating device are maintained at the proper temperature. By virtue of the short distance between the chamber 19 and faucet 68, said faucet is maintained at the proper temperature by Vcon- Cil duction of heat through the metal of said faucet, the elbow 51 and the ow regulating device 4I.

Attached tothe collar 11 i's a bracket 89 which extends beneath the spout1l of the faucet 68. This bracket has secured to the outer end thereof a boss 9|. A tray 92 is supported by the bracket 89 and has a shank 93 depending therefrom, which is received in a bore 94 in the boss 9|. The tray 92 supports the glasses to be lled from the faucet 68 and is provided with a removable reticulate plate 95 on which the glasses rest. Any beer, which is spilled over passes through the plate and is received in the bottom of the tray 92.

The use of the invention is as follows: When it becomes desirable to draw the beer from the barrel, my invention is applied thereto. The fixture 25 is flrst attached to bung I1. This is accomplished by inserting the tubular member 21 into the `socket 2l and rotating the same until the lugs34 and 35 become engaged. Nut 36 is next tightened until the tting is rmly attached. Nipple 31 is thereafter connected to the source of compressed air or other gas for the purpose of maintaining pressure in the barrel. 'Ilhe tap tube 22 is next inserted into the device until the same passes gasket 32. Nut-33 is then sufciently tightened to prevent leakage of beer past the same. The entire device including the tap tube 22 and the parts attached thereto are next forced downwardly. This causes the plug 23 to engage the cork placed by the brewer in the bung I1 of the barrel and forces the same-into the barrel. The tube 22 is forced downwardly until the saidV plug hits the bottom I6 of the barrel. Nut 33 is then firmly tightened. The two nipples 93 and 86 are next connected to suitable-conduits leading from the cooling medium and the device is then ready to operate. In drawing the beer, handle 66 is 'preferably moved to its lowermost portion as shown in Fig. 2, which closes the restricted passageway preventing the flow of beer. Faucet 68 is then fully opened. The flow-through the regulating device 4l -isthen adjusted by manipulation of handle 66 until the desired rate of iiow is procured. Thereafter beer may be dispensed from the device by merely opening and closing the faucet 69. Due to the `application of the cooling system to the protruding portion'of the tap tube 22 and to the major portion of the iiow regulating device 4|, heating up of the beer within the system after the beer leaves the barrel is entirely prevented.

YWith my invention, beer can be dispensed directly from the barrel without the necessity of the usual cooling box or the complicated refrigeration systems now in use. With my invention theV vparts through winch the beer travels are readily accessible and may beremoved for the purpose of cleaning. Due to the extremely short 'distance of travel of the beer from the barrel to the faucet,

certain of the objections encountered with other systems of dispensing beer are entirely eliminated. My invention can be constructed at an economical cost and does not require installation 4as is necessary with other types of systems. My invention is extremely neat and attractive in appearance and is convenient to use.

Changes in the specific form of my invention,

- as herein disclosed, may be made within the scope of what is claimed without departing from` the spirit of my invention.

Having described my .'invention, what Iclaim as new and desire to protect by Letters Patent is: 1. In combination with the tap tube of a beer dispensing device, a iiow regulating device secured to the upper end of said tap tube and in. alignment therewith, a faucet secured to the upper end of the flow regulating device, a collar on said tap tube intermediate the endsthereof, a cylindrical jacket secured at its lower end to said collar, means on said flow regulatingv devicefor engagement with the other end of the jacket. said jacket forming a cooling chamber extending about a portion of said tap tube and ow regulating device, a tube within said jacket supported at its lower end by said collar and communicating at its upper end withthe upper end of said `cooling chamber, means in said collar for directing a cooling medium to the lowermost end of said tube and means in said collar for leading the cooling medium from the lowermost portion nf said chamber.

2. In combination withV the tap tube cf a beer dispensing device, a faucet communicating therewtih, a cylindrical jacket enclosing a part of said tap tube and forming a cooling chamber about the same, a collar encirclingsaid tap tube, said end of said cooling chamber, a tube within said jacket supported at its lower end by said collar for communication at its upper end with the upper end of said cooling chamber, means in said collar for directing a cooling medium to the lowermostend of said tube, and means in said collar for leading the cooling medium from the lowermost portion of said chamber.

3. In combination with the tap tube ofa beer dispensing device, a flow regulating device secured to the `upper end of said tap tube and in alignment therewith, a faucet secured to the upper end of the flow regulating device, a collar on said tap tube intermediate the ends thereof, a cylindrical jacket secured at one end to said collar, means on said flow regulating device for engagement with the other end of the jacket, said jacket forming a cooling chamber extending` about a portion of said tap tube and flow regulating device, a bracket extending outwardly from said collar, a tray carried by said bracket, and means supported by said collar for leading a cooling medium into and out of said cooling chamber.

4. In combination with the tap tube of a beer dispensing device, a'ow regulating device secured to the upper end of said tap tube and in alignment therewith, a faucet secured to the upper end of the flow regulating device, a collar by said collar .and communicating at its upper end with the upperwend of said cooling chamber, means in said collar for directing a cooling medium to the lowermost end of saidgtube, and

means in said collar for leading the cooling medium .from the lowermost portion of said chamber. -v

5. In combination, a removable tap tube adapted to be inserted into a beer barrel and having a portion lextending outwardly beyond the beer barrel, a flow regulating device -secured tothe outer end of said tap tube and connected therewith, a faucet secured to the outer end of the ilow regulating device, a jacket enclosing a part of said outwardly extending portion of said tap J barrel, a collar secured to the outwardly extending portion of said tap tube, a jacket attached at one end to said collar and enclosing a part of said outwardly extending portion of said tube and :forming in conjunction therewith a cooling chamber encircling said tap tube, means for leading a cooling liquid into and out of said chamber, a bracket secured to said collar, a tray carried by said bracket and a faucet supported by said tap tube and communicating therewith, 10

said faucet discharging over said tray.

RICHARD T. CORNELIUS. 

